Looking at changing my RO filters...

[pvtschultz]

I've been around a while, as have my RO filters, but I can't really remember seeing much discussion on this topic. I am going to be replacing the filters on my RO/DI unit and wanted some input.

Marine Depot has 0.5 micron, 1 micron, and 5 micron filters (mechanical and carbon) available but what would be considered the optimum setup? My tap water comes from Lake Michigan so it has a fairly low TDS concentration and isn't hard at all. IIRC they use chloramine as the result of deaths from a Cryptosporidian outbreak. Other than that, it is great tap water (for drinking). So for the three filters that I need, do I get 5, 1, and 0.5 micron; 1, 0.5, and 0.5 micron; or some other combination?

TIA

 

[jsr]

I buy my filters here...
www.buckeyefieldsupply.com

They are also an RC sponsor. I buy a 2 pack of 1 micron sediment filters, a 0.6 micron carbon block filter (chlorine buster), and the DI refill. Please note that you must have a refillable DI cartridge to order just the refill.

 

[pvtschultz]

And great prices to boot! Thanks for the lead!

Maybe I should remove one carbon chamber and convert it to DI to replace my horizontal DI chamber...

 

[jsr]

What type of RO unit do you have? They also sell add-on DI chambers if you would like. The horizontal chambers don't hold mush resin.

 

[pvtschultz]

I bought one from filtersdirect on ebay. It has 3 filtration stages, the RO stage, a horizontal DI stage (that I could tip vertical but still be limited in volume), and then the sixth stage was a post filtration carbon filter "for taste". Since I have the three preliminary stages, I may be able to do one 1 micro sediment, the 0.6 carbon, and then re-plumb the other for DI. Otherwise, I could do a 5 micron sediment, 1 micron sediment, 0.6 micron carbon "chlorine guzzler", and then just keep my baby DI for the time being.

How's that sound?

 

[jsr]

There is a guy on the board that goes by AzDesertRat. He is great with RO filter suggestions. Personally, I don't know if running two sediment or carbon filters would add any value. If they do, I would think having two carbon filters would be better then one. I would also bypass that small DI filter and order a good refillable DI cartridge. You may want to PM AZDesertRat for a more precise answer. If not, I am sure someone will chime in and fill the gaps.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Get a 0.5 micron prefilter and a 0.5 or 0.6micron Matrix carbon block. If you are at all handy, I would replumb the second carbon into a vertical DI and buy a refillable DI cartridge for it and toss the cheap hollow tube as far as you can throw it. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes and you might even have all the parts you need by removing them from the stuff you replace.

 

[pvtschultz]

^^^ That's exactly the answer that I was looking for! Thanks! ^^^